Between 26th March and 6th April 2017 the first part of European Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Course was held at Plovdiv International Airport.

The exercise was initiated by the European Defence Agency (EDA) and run together with the European Air Transport Command (EATC). Participating countries were five with five transport planes and more than 100 personnel.

Belgium and Netherlands participated with C-130H, Bulgaria and Italy with C-27J, Czech Republic with C-295M.

Balkan Spartan 2017 took place at Sofia Airport (military side) between June 7th and 16th 2017. Participants were Bulgarian Air Force, Italian Air Force, Lithuanian Air Force and with crew only – Slovakia.

On April 28th, 2017 two USAF F-35 Lightning II arrived at Graf Ignatievo Airbase, Bulgaria. Both jets are part of group of 8 aircraft from 34th Fighter Squadron based in Hill AFB that are currently deployed at RAF Lakenheath, UK

30 October 2016 – the second day of my trip. This was the first really big event I visited. JASDF make sure the static exposition was perfect. They even showed us their new Mitsubishi X-2 Shinshin. The event was huge with enormous amount of people and a lot of flying activity with really beautiful formations.

On 7th October 2016 ceremony was held at Bezmer Airbase to celebrate its 65th anniversary and the 30th anniversary in service with the Bulgarian Air Force of Sukhoi Su-25.

Gates were opened at 9am and the celebration started at 10am with speech of the Chief of Defence. On static display were two single-seaters Sukhoi Su-25, one twin-seater Sukhoi Su-25UB and already retired single-seater Sukhoi Su-22M4. Sitting in cockpit was allowed for anybody.

Air demonstrations started at 11am with the first participant from the Border Police – AW109 followed by some general aviation flights. The hosts started their aerial program at 12pm with two ship demonstration – single-seater Sukhoi Su-25 with specially painted tail and two-seater.

In April 2015 bilateral exercise Thracian Eagle 2015-1 was held at Graf Ignatievo Airbase. The participants were BuAF MiG-29, Su-25, anti-aircraft missile complexes and F-15C/D Eagle from 159th Fighter Wing – Louisiana Air National Guard based in New Orleans, LA.

During the missions, pilots have trained on air-to-air fighting and on the Balkan country’s anti-aircraft missile defence infrastructure.